(Tennis News) In Tuesday’s Hungarian Grand Prix match, China’s Zhang Shuai was forced to retire in tears after her local opponent, Amarissa Toth, erased a ball mark on the clay court following a contentious line call.

Zhang, seeded second in the tournament, hit a crosscourt forehand that seemed to land on the line but was called out by the line judge. In response, the chair umpire came down to inspect the mark and ultimately confirmed that the ball had indeed landed outside the line.

Frustrated by the call, Zhang was visibly upset and requested to speak with the tournament supervisor to address the issue.

The match continued for one more point, but the dispute over the contested call persisted as Toth approached the mark and used her shoes to erase it.

“Wait, wait, wait! Leave the mark there,” Zhang shouted. “Why would you do that? What are you doing?”

Zhang appeared visibly distressed during the changeover, prompting the tournament officials to call for a physio to check on her. Ultimately, the world number 28 decided to retire while trailing 6-5 in the opening set of their round of 32 match in Budapest.

Zhang Shuai’s retirement from the match was met with jeers from the home crowd, expressing their disappointment over the sudden turn of events. In contrast, Amarissa Toth, her local opponent, demonstrated sportsmanship by shaking hands with Zhang before raising her arms in celebration of her victory.

After the match, Zhang Shuai took to Instagram to express her frustration and dissatisfaction with the disputed call. She also expressed gratitude towards those who supported her during the difficult moment.

The conduct of the Zhang Shuai, Toth, was quickly criticized by fellow players on social media platforms. They condemned her actions and expressed their disapproval of erasing the ball mark, which had led to the unfortunate situation.

The incident created a stir within the tennis community, with discussions and debates arising over the importance of fair play and sportsmanship in the game.

Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic expressed her strong disapproval on Twitter, stating, “Absolutely disgusting behavior. Shuai showed more sportsmanship by shaking the referee and her opponent’s hand.”

Ellen Perez, an Australian doubles player, shared similar sentiments, claiming that Toth had lost the respect of her fellow players. Perez was deeply affected by the level of disrespect displayed and asserted that she would confront Toth if they crossed paths, expressing her deep disappointment and disgust.

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